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How important are recommendation letters in a college application? According to William Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, they are "extremely important." If you're a student, examples of great letters of recommendation can help you understand how to get strong letters yourself from your teachers. If you're a teacher, the examples in this guide will inspire you to support your students strongly as they apply to college. Keep reading for four excellent letters from teachers that will get anyone into college, along with expert analysis on why they're so strong. Important Note: Are you looking for job recommendation letters? If so, check out my great post here! First, let's understand the role of recommendation letters in your application. Why are Recommendation Letters Important?The majority of admissions officers at four-year colleges, especially private schools, emphasize that their process is holistic. They seek to gain a sense of the student as a "whole person," rather than focusing on pieces of who she is based solely on grades and test scores. Since they rarely meet the student in person, the recommendation letters, along with the student's own personal essay, play a huge role in illuminating her intellectual and personal qualities. That's why recommendation letters from teachers, especially those who know their students well, carry a great deal of weight in applications. A letter that expresses a strong vote of support, as well as highlights a student's impressive academic and personal strengths, can have a powerful effect on that student's chances of admission. Let's look at some samples of strong recommendation letters, one from an English teacher, another from a physics teacher, the third from a history teacher, and the final one from a math teacher. Then we'll break down exactly why these letters of recommendation are effective. The first example recommends Sara, a senior who loves to write and read poetry. Sample Letter #1: Sara the Poet
This is a thorough, glowing recommendation for a student that Ms. Scribe clearly knows well. What other features make it stand out as a strong letter of rec? The BreakdownMs. Scribe has a high opinion of Sara and her skills at writing and literary analysis. One way that she expresses this is by using powerful and specific language. She doesn't merely say Sara is a good writer. She says she's articulate about difficult concepts and sensitive to the nuances within literature. She calls her insightful and self-aware with shrewd powers of observation. These descriptors don't happen by accident. Ms. Scribe took the time to choose her words carefully, and that effort paid off with a strong letter that captures Sara's special qualities. Ms. Scribe also supports her characterization of Sara with examples. She describes her thesis paper and how she responded to questions thoughtfully under the pressured situation of her thesis defense. She gives the example of the debate on gun laws to illustrate Sara's openness to many different points of view. In addition to illuminating her intellectual and personal strengths and supporting them with specific examples, Ms. Scribe speaks to Sara's goals for the future. She points out that she is talented at writing, poetry specifically, and that she is committed to continuing to improve as a writer in her future. This letter, by virtue of its wording, length, and specificity, shows that Ms. Scribe took the time and effort to recommend Sara thoughtfully and with conviction. The fact that she knows Sara well and is committed to helping her application succeed with a thoughtful letter further adds weight to her assessment. This letter would be a boon to Sara's application, especially if she's applying to study writing or English. She clearly impressed her English teacher and, in return, got a memorable, complimentary letter of recommendation for her college application. This next example is similarly enthusiastic and detailed. It's for a student applying to an engineering program. Want to build the best possible college application, with the strongest recommendations? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Sample Letter #2: Stacy the Engineer
Ms. Randall is clearly as much of a fan of Stacy as she is of Mileva Marić. How does she communicate her recommendation? The BreakdownMs. Randall plugs for Stacy right off the bat with a statement of outstanding ranking: Stacy is one of the most exceptional students she's had in 15 years of teaching. A statement like this is pretty extraordinary and will make an impact in the mind of its readers. Stacy sounds like a special student, and she chose her recommender well. Like in the last example, this letter uses strong, specific language, calling Stacy a perceptive and sharp person who has the confidence and good humor to take intellectual risks. Through its accurate and expressive language, this letter helps Stacy come to life in the mind of the reader. Beyond the evaluation, Ms. Randall gives specific examples of Stacy's academic and personal strengths. She talks about her successful teaching in Robotics Club, her leadership in group projects, and her dedicated practice to teaching herself to play the guitar. Rather than spreading the letter too thin, Ms. Randall highlights a few core themes. She connects Stacy's love of music with her passion for physics by talking about the frequency-dependent sound absorption project. All the threads tie together in a nice, memorable bow. This letter is a strong vote of support for Stacy's application to an engineering program. Her physics teacher admires Stacy's skills and goals, and she made it clear that Stacy had her highest recommendation in this letter. This next example also comes from a teacher who's extremely impressed with his student. It focuses on the student's performance in class and his volunteer work outside the classroom. Sample Letter #3: William the History Buff and Social Organizer
Mr. Jackson's letter makes William sound like a pretty amazing student and person. How does he go about expressing his admiration for William in this rec letter? The BreakdownLike Ms. Randall did in her letter, Mr. Jackson provides a statement of outstanding ranking for William, calling him one of the most caring and driven students he's ever taught. Considering his long teaching career of 15 years, this says a lot about William as a student and a person. Also like in the last example, Mr. Jackson focuses on a few core aspects of William's character. He talks about his love of history and how it informs his social activism. He comments on his exceptional historical scholarship, as well as his personal qualities of caring for those around him and working for the social good. Mr. Jackson also gives insight into William's personal life, explaining how he has a personal connection to his projects and volunteer work as the child of immigrant parents. This letter reveals that William is a thoughtful, motivated individual who connects his own experiences with his learning and desire to contribute to his community. The letter also showcases William's exceptional accomplishments by giving specific examples of William's research paper and his work supporting the academic and personal needs of ELL students. Mr. Jackson expresses his enthusiastic recommendation while illuminating William's love of learning and strength of character. This letter would be both impressive and memorable to admissions officers considering William for admission to their school. This next example comes from a math teacher. Let's see what Mr. Wiles has to say about Joe. Sample Letter #4: Joe the Hard Worker
While the students featured in the first three examples were top of their class or demonstrated leadership in the school, Joe isn't a top achiever in the traditional sense. However, this recommendation is still a strong one, even if it says he struggled in the teacher's class. What does Mr. Wiles focus on to recommend Joe? The BreakdownMr. Wiles writes a strong letter for Joe, with the same kind of enthusiasm and specific examples as the other three letters. Even though Joe may not have gotten the strongest grades in his math class, he found an enthusiastic recommender in his math teacher. Mr. Wiles was extremely impressed with Joe's attitude, effort, and growth mindset, which he demonstrated throughout the year and inspired in his fellow classmates. Mr. Wiles focuses on Joe's substantial personal strengths, ones that would likely be impressive to his future educators. Even in a subject that may not come naturally to him, Joe is diligent and committed. He's not self-conscious about asking questions or seeking extra help, and he retains a strong belief in himself that he can continuously learn, improve, and acquire new skills. This letter, like the others, is effective because it is focused, supportive, and backed up with examples. As you can tell from these examples, recommendations can communicate a great deal about a student. Because of this, they can have a powerful impact on a student's chances of admission. So what can teachers and students do to make sure they are sending a strong recommendation letter that will help their chances? Enthusiasm is key. How to Get a Strong Recommendation LetterWhile these letters are about different students with different interests, they share certain fundamental features. One, they sound excited and enthusiastic. The teachers clearly communicate that they are impressed by these students and eager to help them get into college. At the same time, the letters don't go overboard because they have examples to back up their assessments. Specific examples and stories are key for backing up the assessment. Plus, they make a letter more interesting and memorable. Rather than just another engineering applicant, Stacy is the student who researched sound-absorption to spare her parents from hours of guitar scales. Finally, the teachers all discuss their students' personal strengths, along with their academic strengths. They present the holistic view that admissions officers are looking for, along with their strong vote of confidence in the students' future success. Teachers should incorporate all these features into their letters, and students should help provide them with the raw material to write about. While students should choose a teacher who knows them well and has stories and observations to share, they should also give their teachers a detailed "brag sheet" and let them know what would go into their ideal letter. That way it can be even more personalized and complement the story the student is telling in the rest of her application. While recommenders may or may not share their letters with students, there should still be open, two-way communication when the student makes her request. That way students and teachers can work together to produce an insightful, enthusiastic, and specific letter of recommendation to send to colleges. Want to build the best possible college application, with the strongest recommendations? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What's Next?Are you a teacher writing recommendations for your students? Read all about how to write an outstanding recommendation letter for your students, along with what not to include. Are you or a student you work with applying to a selective school, like Harvard? Learn about what kind of letter she should get for the Ivy League. Now that you've read these examples of strong teacher recommendation letters, check out these examples of bad ones. Warning: rec letters may appear better than they actually are. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. How do I write a letter of recommendation for a student teacher?How to write a teacher recommendation letter. Choose a professional format. ... . State your qualifications. ... . Reference the position the teacher is applying for. ... . Highlight notable skills, traits, and accomplishments. ... . Give specific examples. ... . Provide contact information.. How do I write a simple letter of recommendation for a student?How to write a recommendation letter for a student. Ask the student for academic information. ... . Address your letter accordingly. ... . Introduce yourself and your qualifications. ... . Include details about your academic relationship with the student. ... . Highlight the student's qualifications with examples. ... . Conclude your letter.. What are the 5 parts of recommendation letter?What to Include in a Letter of Recommendation. Context. ... . Specifics. ... . A match between the position's requirements and the candidate's skills. ... . Writer Name and Address. ... . Salutation. ... . Paragraph 1 – Introduction. ... . Paragraph 2 – Details. ... . Paragraph 3 – Summary.. How do you write a letter of recommendation for an elementary school student?How Do I Write a Letter of Recommendation for an Elementary Student?. Follow the Guidelines. First, stick to the requested format, if one is suggested. ... . Reflect on the Child's Strengths and Weaknesses. ... . Adhere to Core Parts of Recommendation Letter. ... . Write Like You Really Know the Child. ... . Be Honest. ... . Proofread.. |